Qatar World Cup Debate

Overview

Duration: 50 minutes
Class size: 23 students
Group work: Whole class and small-group discussion
Age group: Year 6 (age 10-11)
Subject: Geography

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Curriculum Links

• National Curriculum for England, KS2 Geography:
  • Understand geographical similarities, differences and links between places.
  • Develop locational knowledge of cities around the world and significant environments.
  • Describe and understand key aspects of human geography including settlements and land use.
• Geographical skills and fieldwork
  • Use maps, atlases, and images to develop observation and comparison skills.

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Learning Objective(s)

• I can explain trends or patterns observed by making comparisons or by noting cause and consequence.
• I can present reasoned arguments considering geographical factors including population, economic impact, and environment.

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Outcome(s)

• Main outcome: Children insert an image of the Pearl, Qatar stadium or Doha Golf Course into their exercise books and write a paragraph explaining how it is different and possibly similar to the Port of Hull.
• Final outcome: Write a persuasive paragraph explaining why or why not Qatar should host the World Cup based on geographical reasoning.
• Adapted outcome: Some learners (KS1 level sentence structures) write simple sentences expressing their opinion with a supporting reason.

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Resources

• Images projected on screen: The Pearl in Qatar, a football stadium in Qatar (e.g. Lusail Iconic Stadium), Doha Golf Course
• Map of Qatar and UK (specifically Hull)
• World map to show Qatar’s location relative to UK and Wales
• Whiteboard / flip chart for discussion notes
• Exercise books and writing materials

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Lesson Structure

1. Starter (5 minutes)

• Show image of Port of Hull and briefly recap it as a UK port - physical and human features
• Explain key vocabulary: physical features (natural), human features (man-made)
• Ask students: What differences or similarities can you spot between Hull and these new images from Qatar?

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2. Introduction and Exploration (10 minutes)

• Show image of The Pearl, Qatar stadium, and Doha Golf Course.
• Discuss: Are these physical features or human features? (Human - shaped and built by people)
• Explain briefly how these were created (man-made land reclamation, construction, landscaping).
• Guided discussion: Should these structures have been created? What are the benefits and drawbacks? Record ideas on board.

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3. Contextual Understanding (10 minutes)

• Explain: In November 2022, Qatar hosted the World Cup.
• Key facts: Qatar’s population is less than 3 million, smaller than Wales. Qatar has never qualified for the World Cup before.
• Discuss infrastructure preparations: 7 new stadiums, new hotels, roads, and other infrastructure built from scratch.
• Pose critical thinking question: What is the cost of these developments to the environment? Consider water use, desert landscape, energy.
• Discuss: Should the World Cup be held in Qatar? We will think about this geographically, not just as a football event.

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4. Group Activity: Cause and Consequence (10 minutes)

• Divide class into 4 groups.
• Each group discusses one of the following factors based on the images and facts:
  1. Population size and local support for the event
  2. Economic benefits vs costs
  3. Geographical challenges (e.g., climate, desert environment)
  4. Environmental impacts and sustainability concerns
• Each group shares one key point with the class.

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5. Writing Task (15 minutes)

• Children choose their stance (for or against Qatar hosting the World Cup).
• Write a persuasive paragraph using cause and consequence to explain their view. Use sentence starters on board:
  • Qatar should/should not host the World Cup because...
  • One cause is...
  • As a consequence...
  • Additionally...
  • This means that...
• Adaptation for less confident writers: Write 2-3 simple sentences stating their opinion and giving one reason.

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6. Plenary (5 minutes)

• Invite 2-3 volunteers to read their paragraphs aloud.
• Recap lesson by highlighting use of comparison, cause and consequence in their explanations.
• Ask children to reflect: How can geography help us understand global events beyond sport?

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Assessment

• Formative: Contributions during group discussions and class sharing
• Summative: Written paragraphs assessed on ability to explain trends, causes, consequences and use comparison between places

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Differentiation and SEND Support

• Sentence starters and key vocabulary displayed visually
• Use of image prompts and word banks for less confident writers
• Group work to support verbal reasoning before writing
• Additional adult support or peer assistance where needed

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Extension Ideas

• Challenge students to research a recent global event held in an unusual location and analyse local geographical impacts.
• Use Google Earth or online map tools to explore stadium locations and human impact.
• Creative writing: Design a sustainable stadium for the future with geographical considerations.

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This lesson plan combines critical geographical thinking with real-world relevance, encouraging pupils to evaluate human and environmental factors in global events. It supports careful reflection on cause, consequence, and comparison to meet the KS2 geography standards within an engaging and respectful debate framework.